§ 28. Mr. LENNOX-BOYDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can give those counties in which new-laid eggs are now being sold at 6d. per dozen?
§ Dr. BURGINI regret I am unable to give the information asked for by my hon. Friend. Prices as low as 6d. per dozen and in one instance 5½d. have recently been quoted in the trade Press in respect of certain markets which, however, for the most part are small and far from the main consuming centres and are not reported by the Ministry. The average price of home-produced eggs reported by the Ministry's market reporters from 29 representative country markets in England and Wales range from 7d. to 1s. per dozen this week.
§ Mr. LENNOX-BOYDIs it not a fact that in many parts of the country some hundreds of smallholders in this trade are at the moment faced with ruin, and can the Government take some action to put off such a contingency?
§ Dr. BURGINI am asked about the price of eggs, and I have given the answer. I have a list of all the markets where these prices were obtained.
§ Mr. MABANEAre those retail or wholesale prices?
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSCan my hon. Friend give the markets where the price was 1s. a dozen?
§ Dr. BURGINNot without notice, because this foolscap list of names does not subdivide the markets according to price.
§ Mr. MABANECan the hon. Gentleman give an answer to my question?